Bacopa plant named ‘Duebahpihal’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Bacopa  plant named ‘Duebahpihal’, characterized by its compact, mounding and trailing growth habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; and light pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored centers.

Botanical designation: Bacopa hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEBAHPIHAL’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Bacopa Plant Named ‘DUEBAHPISAN’.

Applicant: Tobias Dümmen.

Filed: Concurrently with this application, U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 13/987,091.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Bacopa plant, botanically known as Bacopa hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Duebahpihal’.

The new Bacopa plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Bacopa plants with numerous pink-colored flowers.

The new Bacopa plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany in July, 2010 of a proprietary selection of Bacopa hybrida identified as code number F-1902-016, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Bacopa hybrida identified as code number F-1907-162, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Bacopa plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Bacopa plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany since June, 2012, has shown that the unique features of this new Bacopa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Bacopa have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Duebahpihal’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Duebahpihal’ as a new and distinct Bacopa plant:

-   -   1. Compact, mounding and trailing growth habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Freely flowering habit.     -   5. Light pink-colored flowers with darker pink-colored centers.

Plants of the new Bacopa can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Bacopa differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the new Bacopa are more compact than plants of the female parent selection. In addition, plants of the new Bacopa have darker pink-colored flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Bacopa can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Bacopa differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in flower color as plants of the new Bacopa have lighter pink-colored flowers than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Bacopa can be compared to plants of Bacopa hybrida ‘Duebahpisan’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant Patent application filed concurrently, 13/987,091. Plants of the new Bacopa differ primarily from plants of ‘Duebahpisan’ in flower color as plants of the new Bacopa have lighter pink-colored flowers than plants of ‘Duebahpisan’.

Plants of the new Bacopa also can be compared to plants of the Bacopa ‘Scopia Great Pink Ring’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Rheinberg, Germany, plants of the new Bacopa differed primarily from plants of ‘Scopia Great Pink Ring’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Bacopa were larger than plants of ‘Scopia         Great Pink Ring’.     -   2. Plants of the new Bacopa had slightly larger leaves than         plants of ‘Scopia Great Pink Ring’.     -   3. Plants of the new Bacopa were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Scopia Great Pink Ring’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Bacopa plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Bacopa plant.

The photograph comprises a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Duebahpihal’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 10.5-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under cultural practices typical of commercial Bacopa production. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. and light levels averaged 4,500 lux. Plants were pinched one time three weeks after planting and were 13 weeks old when the photograph and the description were taken. In the description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Bacopa hybrida ‘Duebahpihal’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Bacopa             hybrida identified as code number F-1902-016, not patented.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Bacopa             hybrida identified as code number F-1907-162, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at             temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four             weeks at temperatures of 20° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, mounded and trailing plant             habit; vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit about six to eight             lateral branches develop per plant; pinching enhances             branching potential.         -   Plant height.—About 14.5 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 54.5 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 25.8 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 2.2 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.1 cm.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Close to 143B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.4 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Obtuse.         -   Margin.—Crenulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Sparsely pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 144A; venation, close to 144A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 144B; venation,             close to 144A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 7.6 mm. Diameter: About 2.4 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper             surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement.—Single rotate flowers; freely flowering             habit with potentially about 170 to 190 flowers developing             per plant; flowers face mostly upright.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about six             weeks after planting and flower continuously year-round in             moderate climates.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week on the plant;             flowers not persistent.         -   Flower diameter.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1 cm.         -   Throat diameter.—About 5 mm.         -   Tube length:.—About 9.4 mm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 7.4 mm. Diameter: About 5.2 mm.             Shape: Spatulate. Color: Close to 73D.         -   Petals.—Quantity per flower: Corolla consists of five petals             fused at the base. Lobe length: About 8.6 mm. Lobe width:             About 7.1 mm. Lobe shape: Obovate. Lobe apex: Obtuse,             rounded. Lobe margin: Entire. Texture: Petal lobes, upper             and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Throat: Smooth,             glabrous. Tube: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal lobes, when             opening and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 73D;             towards the base, close to 74C; color does not change with             development. Petal lobes, when opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 73D; color does not change with             development. Throat: Close to 24A. Tube: Close to 163B.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Five sepals fused into a tubular calyx.             Length: About 6.2 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Lanceolate.             Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to             144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Angle: Erect. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 137C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About four.             Filament length: About 1.2 cm. Filament color: Close to             155B. Anther shape: Cylindrical. Anther length: About             1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 17A. Amount of pollen:             Abundant. Pollen color: Close to 15B. Gynoecium: Pistil             length: About 9 mm. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color:             Close to 144D. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary color:             Close to 144B.         -   Seeds & fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed on plants of the new Bacopa. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Bacopa have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 40° C. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Bacopa have not been     shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Bacopa     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Bacopa plant named ‘Duebahpihal’ as illustrated and described. 